Anti Mitochondrial Antibody Test

Anti-Mitochondrial-Antibody test commonly known as AMT is used to detect the anti-mitochondrial antibodies in the blood in order to diagnose a disease called Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) which is an autoimmune disease. In autoimmune disease, the body produces antibodies against its own tissues and organs. In this case, the autoantibody is produced to attack the mitochondria portion of the cell which produces energy. In the PBC disease, the anti-mitochondrial antibody which is produced by the body attacks the walls of bile ducts of the liver and causes scars, which may cause liver damage over a longer period of time.

Wear a half-sleeved shirt on as full-sleeved shirt might pose difficulty in pulling up the sleeves. Do not wear sweater or jacket. No special preparation is required for this test and you can continue any medication that you are taking by informing your doctor. If your blood sample is needed for other tests then fasting may be required in some cases. Please kindly follow the instructions given by the lab.

AMT is conducted to diagnose primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). If the level of anti-mitochondrial antibody particularly M2 is above the reference range for positive, then the patient is confirmed to have PBC. If the result is negative then a possibility of PBC is ruled out.

Reference Range:

• Negative <0.1 Units
• Borderline 0.1 - 0.3 Units
• Weak Positive 0.4 – 0.9 Units
• Positive ≥1.0 Units

Note: Positive results for M2 are also found in patients with CREST syndrome (Calcinosis Raynaud’s phenomenon, Esophageal hypomotility, Sclerodactyly, and Telangiectasia) and in other autoimmune diseases.

About 1 ml or just 2 teaspoons of the blood sample will be drawn from your body. This test needs to be conducted in a well-equipped diagnostic lab or medical centre with the Anti-Mitochondrial-Antibody testing facility. The skin on the arm is cleaned with an alcohol pad. In the next step, the needle will be inserted into the body through the vein which is easily visible over the cleaned skin. The blood sample will be collected through the tube attached to the needle which contains the serum gel. The tube is separated from the needle and closed with a lid and with the patient’s name on it. The blood sample tube is shaken down to remove serum from the clot and then it is sent to the research laboratory for examination.